SunState Airlines' C-FZFT

SunState Airlines (QantsaLink) is taking delivery of their third Dash8-Q402 this month. C-FZFT (msn 4285) is en route to HNL from YYZ via GRR and CCR. Once in Australia, it will be re-registered as VH-QOW.

Sunrider Corporation MD-87

Originally delivered to Aero Loyd in March 15 88' it now wears a private livery. It's now owned by Sunrider Corportation. This MD-87 (N168CF c/n49670) is seen here basking in the sun on the south ramp.

Merry Christmas!

To all of our readers & fans ... Merry Christmas from the HNL RareBirds team!

Double Dose Of JAL 737-846s

Tonight also had two delivery flights of JAL 737-846s stop at HNL. The two flights came in from BFI as JL7901 and JL7903. These are the 24th and 25th 737-846s delivered to JAL and are registered JA324J (c/n 35353) and JA325J (c/n 35354). Both also carry JAL Express titles. They are scheduled to depart for MAJ on Dec. 25 and continue to GUM and HND.

Arrival Of President Obama & Family

President Obama and his family arrived in Hawaii for a 10 day Christmas vacation. This is President Obama's first visit as President of the United States and on Air Force One. When they visited last December, the First Family arrived on a chartered United 767-300.

Above are pictures of Air Force One landing and taxiing back to HIK.

Garuda's PK-GMF

Garuda Indonesian Airlines is taking delivery their second 737-8U3 this month, PK-GMF (c/n 30140), it's flying as GIA8011, and is HNL-bound from BFI.

Sorry, no HNL photo, though Drewski2112 got one at BFI.

Lion Air's PK-LGQ

Lion Air International is taking delivery of PK-LGQ (c/n 35733), their fourth 737-9GPER this month. It's making its way from BFI to CGK as LNI1, which will include stops at HNL, MAJ, and BIK along the way.

Air China's B-5486

Air China is taking delivery of their second 737-89L within the past few days. B-5486 (c/n 36748) is making its trek as CCA56.

Air China's B-5485

Air China took delivery of another 737-89L, B-5485 (c/n 36747), yesterday, and is making its island-hopping trek toward PEK.

AWE807/AWE808

US Airways (US/AWE) begins service between CLT (Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, NC) and HNL today using 767-200s. The CLT-HNL flight is listed as AWE807, and the HNL-CLT flight is AWE808.

This is the first direct flight from the eastern US by US Airways, and the first by the original US Airways. The US Airways flights between PHX and Hawai‘i are legacy flights from America West Airlines (AWE), before the USA/AWE merger. With their participation in the Star Alliance, this flight is code-shared as UAL1497.

Due to severe weather and strong headwinds over the southern half of the continental US, AWE807 has been diverted to LAX for a fuel stop, and is now scheduled to arrive at HNL around 1610HST. N251AY (c/n 24784), a 767-2B7ER, is seen above landing on Runway 26L at 1709HST, as the winds shifted today to "Kona Winds". AWE808 departed HNL for CLT at 1915HST.

Garuda's PK-GME

Garuda Indonesian Airlines' PK-GME (c/n 30157), 737-8U3, is delivering through HNL from BFI as GIA8011. It will make stops at MAJ and BIK, before reaching CGK.

PK-GME is seen above crossing Runways 22R and 22L to park on the AirService Hawaii ramp after landing on Runway 26L.

ANA's 747-481

This morning a chartered ANA 747-481 (JA8958, c/n 25641/928) arrived from Narita as NH1962. It is scheduled to leave sometime this weekend. From what I heard, the owner of a baseball team up in Japan chartered this plane to bring down his team for some R&R. Lucky :D.

Trigana Air 737-300

Trigana Air's 737-3Q8 (N470AG, c/n 24700) converted freighter is seen here prepairing for its departure to Majuro during a very voggy morning. It arrived last night from Tuscon via Oakland and is bound for Indonesia. Trigana Air operates several different types of aircraft ranging from a C206, ATR's, Twin Otters, Caribou's, C130's, a 732, and a 733.

It was recently with PLUNA as CX-PUA, and with IslandsFlug as TF-FDA.

Xiamen's B-5488

B-5488 (c/n 37148) is the newest 737-85C for Xiamen Airlines, and it making its island-hopping delivery flight from BFI to XMN today with its first stop at HNL later today.

China Eastern's B-5493

China Eastern Airlines is taking delivery of a new 737-89P, B-5493 (c/n 29652), and its making is delivery flight from BFI as CES789. It will complete the first leg of its trans-Pacific journey around midday today with a stop at HNL.

Boeing's N787BA

Today marked the first flight of Boeing's first 787-8, N787BA (c/n 40690)! Team member Drewski2112 got photos at PAE of N787BA taking off.

The only customer that could serve HNL with the 787 in the near future, would be ANA.

Lion Air Trifecta

Lion Air International has three of their 737-9GPERs make delivery flights yesterday. PK-LGM (c/n 35730) flew as LNI1, PK-LGO (c/n 35731) flew as PKLGO, and PK-LGP (c/n 35732) flew as LNI3.

A big mahalo to Drewski2112, our BFI team member, who got shots of all three 739s (PK-LGM,PK-LGO, and PK-LGP) at BFI.

SunState Airlines' C-FYIC

SunState Airlines (QantasLink) is receiving C-FYIC (msn 4277), a Dash8-Q402, and is making its multi-stop delivery flight from YYZ to BNE. As with other Q400 flights to Australia, C-FYIC will make a stop at HNL today. Once Down Under, it will be re-registered as VH-QOV.

COA3171

Another ex-ATA 757-33N is on its way to HKG for maintenance, winglet installation, and re-painting for Continental Airlines. The 753 will make a stop at GUM before reaching HKG.

ANA Subs 777-281ER This Weekend

All Nippon Airways (ANA) substituted a 777-281ER today for its ANA1052/1051 NRT-HNL flights, and looks to be for the rest of the weekend. It's possibly for the Honolulu Marathon, which several thousand Japanese runners will participate in on Sunday.

JA707A (c/n 27037) made today's flight, and is seen above returning to NRT as ANA1051 on Runway 8R.